IP PROJECT REPORT
PROJECT TITLE: Social Media Algorithms Explained Using Python
BY: Pratishtha Dangi, Renn Binn & PGT
CLASS: 12-K
1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our school and the CBSE board for
encouraging practical learning through innovative projects. This project, titled "Social
Media Algorithms Explained Using Python", provided us a unique opportunity to explore
real-world technology using classroom concepts. It helped us understand how
programming and data science apply to platforms we use daily.
We sincerely thank our teacher and project guide, who continuously motivated us,
clarified our doubts, and helped us stay on track during the project development. Their
constant support and insightful feedback were essential in shaping our understanding
and guiding us throughout the 30-day development period.
We are also grateful to our peers, friends, and online educational resources that aided
us in researching the topic, learning new libraries, and improving our code structure.
This project has been a truly enriching and collaborative experience, and we value the
exposure it gave us to real-life applications of Informatics Practices.
2. PROBLEM DEFINITION
Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter display content to users
based on what is most likely to engage them. These decisions are made using algorithms
— sets of programmed rules that process data such as the number of likes, comments,
shares, and how users interact with a post. High-engagement posts are more likely to be
shown to more users.
For a school student, the logic behind these platforms often seems like a mystery. This
project aims to demystify that logic by creating a Python-based simulation that mimics
how posts are ranked based on engagement. It introduces students to the practical
usage of Python in the context of data handling, sorting, and visualization.
By using simplified datasets and Python libraries like Pandas and Matplotlib, we create
an environment that helps us analyze and visualize engagement trends. This hands-on
approach helps us better understand how platforms use engagement metrics to push or
suppress content — an important digital literacy skill in today’s age.
3. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA ALGORITHMS
Social media algorithms are responsible for deciding what we see on our feeds. Whether
it’s a trending meme, a viral video, or an educational post — behind every piece of
content is a set of rules that determines its visibility. These algorithms vary from one
platform to another but often have one thing in common: they reward engagement.
Engagement is measured by how people interact with content — for example, by liking,
sharing, commenting, or watching. In our project, we simplify this idea by assuming that
each post has values for these metrics. We then calculate an overall engagement score
for each post and rank the posts based on that score.
Python, a beginner-friendly yet powerful programming language, provides excellent
tools for such simulations. We use Matplotlib to visualize our data and Pandas to store
and manipulate datasets efficiently. For instance, we can create bar graphs showing
which content types (News, Entertainment, Education) get the most engagement, or
line graphs that show how likes increase over time.
This project is a great example of how real-world technology meets education. It
introduces us to basic concepts of data analysis, ranking algorithms, and user behavior
simulation. While actual social media algorithms are much more complex and driven by
AI and machine learning, this project gives us a simplified but insightful perspective.
By working on this, we not only improved our coding skills but also learned to think
logically, solve problems creatively, and present data in meaningful ways. It truly
connects the world of academics with the digital world we live in.
